General maintainance

Bushdebush

Hello there

I do about 30 miles a week on a hybrid, mainly on cycle paths. Some are tarmac, some are gravel etc. i go out in all weather so my bike can get quite muddy on occasions.

I am after some general advice on cleaning and maintenance so i can keep the bike in good nick.

Cheers

pete_s

Peronsally, I just make sure that the drivetrain is nice and clean. Now that the winter has set in I've had to clean it all once a week as it can get really grimey. I clean the rear cassette, chain and chainset with a standard Halfords citrus cleaner and then relube everything with a Muc-off wet lubricant.

Other than it's just a case of wiping down all the tubes and brakes with a damp cloth and checking that there isn't any mud stuck in the cables. Also go round all the fixings just to make sure they're nice and tight. It may also be worth checking the condition of your wheel hubs as it's a place where mud can get into but can't be easily cleaned.

All in all it takes me about 1-1.5hrs in the afternoon to do it all.

Bushdebush

Thanks pete, thats a great help

desweller

Periodically check your brake pads for embedded hard FO e.g. rim material or grit. Clean and re-oil your chain every fortnight. If they're conventional cup-and-cone then you should be servicing your wheel bearings every six months.

leeefm

If you haven't already, get a decent set of mudguards that fit well for your bike. This will limit the amount of grime that is sprayed all over your components when it rains and help when cleaning. This is more important in the winter months when there may be salt on the road that can corrode things nicely.

mudcow007

clean it

oil it etc

then spray everything in GT85 (except rims/ rotors)

wait an hour or so an wipe over the bike with a clean cloth

the GT85 leaves a residue (i think its teflon) on the frame which mud doesnt really stick too so keeps your bike shiny an smells awesome